Tip of the Day: Broke but Clever, 10 ideas to go food-shopping in a smart way

When you want to take care of your body by eating healthily, you will have to buy high quality products (think organic, free range etc...). Making a few basic changes to how you approach shopping for food can make a big difference in how much you spend. Try the following tips designed to simplify the process of saving money on grocerie.

                                  

1. Follow a shopping list

Store managers organise the space to push you to buy. The best way to avoid being tempted by everything you see? Prepare a precise shopping list and stick to it! And leave the children at home when you go food shopping, they are always asking for more treats.

2. Buy "in season" products

Berries from may to September, courgettes from June to October etc... Try to shop in farmer markets during the big periods of production instead of supermarkets. You will find bargain, products are usually locally grown and much cheaper. 

3. Check the Offers

Supermarkets are full of supposedly good offers. But it can happen that a pack of two is more expensive than the two items bought individually. Compare prices per kilo or per volume. 

4. Opt for frozen items

Some frozen products really make you save money: vegetables, for example, heave already been peeled so you don't have any waste. Also, you can easily chose the quantity you want to unfroze and save the rest for later.

5. With meat, think "stew"

Braising or stir-frying meat (beef, veal, pork) are much cheaper than the noble part of the animal (fillet or sirloin) but they are the perfect base for stews (Bourguignon, Osso-Bucco etc...). You can easily freeze the leftover because these dishes are even better when reheated.

6. Forget about fancy brands

For a few years now the supermarkets (Waitrose, Sainsburys etc..) have developped their own brand with great success. These products are usually more affordable with the same standards of quality.

7. Learn to look down

Your hand is naturally reaching what is at your eyes' level. That's why the supermarkets place their most profitable goods at this height. To look for bargains, lower your eyes or kneel down, this is where you will find them.

8. Ignore the fancy conditioning

A zip for grated cheese, a gorgonzola in a resilable pack etc... all these additions have a price. Choose simple conditioning, you will see a difference on your bill

9. Change of category

Vegetables and fruits's prices depend on their category, not on their taste or quality. A cucumber slightly curved, an apple not exactly round will be less atractive to the eye but the taste will be the same. 

10. Avoid temptations

Shop with a full stomachto be less sensitive to smell and tease. Ideally in the morning after breakfast or just after lunch. And the wait will be shorter at the till...